Your Source of Chocolate

Our only source of Chocolate

Last week in a sermon over at King of Peace Episcopal Church in Kingsland, I mentioned that we need to take care of this planet because to my knowledge, it is our only source of chocolate. This drew some fun comments at http://jimmorrow.wordpress.com/2007/09/23/from-the-mouths-of-priests/

Treatment of our environment has gotten to be a serious matter, as we could find out from anyone who lives in sub-Saharan Africa. Where I hail from strip-mining has long been an issue as the faceless corporations destroy the beauty of the mountains where some of the same families have lived for generations -- and those generations include human families as well as critter families.

Here is a quote from Thomas Berry, The Great Work (New York: Bell Tower, 1999), p. 175:

... There is a need to be sensitive to the Earth, for the destiny of the Earth identifies with our own destiny, exploitation of the Earth is exploitation of the human, elimination of the aesthetic splendors of the Earth is diminishment of existence. We do not serve the human by blasting the mountains apart for mineral resources, for in losing the wonder and awesome qualities of the mountains we destroy an urgent dimension of our reality.


Think about it -- would you want to live in a world without chocolate?



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

The Rich Man and Lazarus

The Dogs Take Pity

In our Gospel reading for tomorrow (Luke 16:19-31) we find a stark contrast between a rich man and a poor man (wait . . . wasn't last Sunday's Gospel about a rich man? There must be a message here somewhere for us who live amidst such wealth that it takes $1.3 billion in net worth to make it to the Forbes 400 list.)

So, back to our story . . . there was a rich man whose name we do not have and a poor man named Lazarus. Their lifestyles were such polar opposites that we wonder if we have the nerve to look out our own back doors to see who lives in the shadows. The rich man could afford purple clothes, which in those days were usually reserved for those of very high rank (whence the saying "born to the purple"). But Lazarus, on the other hand, was physically disabled, poor, and so hungry that he would have eaten the crumbs under the rich man's table. The text goes on to say that the "even the dogs would come and lick his sores." Was this comforting or annoying to Lazarus?

Both the rich man and Lazarus died, and suddenly the rich man, who is in torment in Hades, is aware of Lazarus, who has been carried away by angels into paradise. The rich man had ignored Lazarus on earth, but now he has the audacity to ask that Lazarus be sent to tend to his needs. He doesn't ask for much -only that Lazarus dip the tip of his finger in the water and cool his tongue. The answer is no and we are left with Jesus saying that the tables are permanently turned. Jesus does not say that the poor man went to heaven because he was poor, nor does he say that the rich man went to Hades because he was rich.

Read the text for yourself and form your own opinions. Why do you think these two main characters in the story wound up the way they did?



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Saint Michael and All Angels - Tomorrow

The Feast of St. Michael and All Angels


Tomorrow is the feast of St. Michael and All Angels.

Of the many angels spoken of in the Bible, only four are called by name: Michael, Gariel, Uriel, and Raphael. The Archangel Michael is the powerful agent of God who wards off evil from God's people, and delivers peace to them at the end of this life's mortal struggle. "Michaelmas," as his feast is called in England, has long been one of the popular celebrations of the Christian Year in many parts of the world. - Lesser Feasts and Fasts, 386

And war broke out in heaven; Michael and his angels fought against the dragon. The dragon and his angels fought back, but they were defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. The great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world -- he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. - Revelation 12:7-8

Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, for ever and ever. Amen.



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Prayer for the Future of the Human Race

O God our heavenly Father, you have blessed us and given us dominion over all the earth: Increase our reverence before the mystery of life; and give us new insight into your purposes for the human race, and new wisdom and determination in making provision for its future in accordance with your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

[The Book of Common Prayer, 828, Prayer No. 44]

In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

One of God's Secretaries

In our service of Holy Eucharist this evening at 6:15 we will celebrate the feast of Lancelot Andrewes, the Bishop of Winchester, England who died in 1626.

Bishop Andrewes was a biblical scholar and educator who helped to translate the Hebrew and Greek scriptures into the King James Version ("Authorized Version") of the Bible at a time when the church was desperate for unity. But then, when has the church not been desperate for unity?

Among Bishop Andrewes' students was the poet George Herbert, and among the fans of his sermons was King James the First of England. In fact, it is said that Bishop Andrewes was the favorite preacher of King James (who authorized the translation and publication of the King James Version of the Bible in 1611).

One of my favorite things about being an Episopal Priest is that during the weekdays I get to reach back and celebrate the lives of Christians who have made important contributions to the world. As my Church History professor at Sewanee, Don Armentrout, was fond of saying, "If you know a little church history, nothing will surprise you."



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

In the wake of the Delaware State University shootings



A Prayer for Young Persons:

God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start. Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (The Book of Common Prayer, 829)



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

"Love corners me somewhere"


More nourishment and strength in one hour of obscurity than in ten weeks of typwriting and reading and thinking. Nevertheless, every day love corners me somewhere and surrounds me with peace without my having to look very far or very hard or do anything special. God is Who He is and therefore my life needs nothing else but Him.

-- Fr. Louis (Thomas) Merton - The Sign of Jonas, p. 101.



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Happy Autumnal Equinox

As long as earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease. -- Genesis 8:22





In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Photos: The good earth at Honey Creek;
Spanish moss in the breeze at Honey Creek;
Cross in the woods at St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church, Moultrie, Georgia; and Rock outcroppings on the Cumberland Plateau,
Sewanee, Tennessee; -- LM+

How do you use your money?

In our Gospel lesson for tomorrow, Luke 16:1-13, Jesus tells the parable of the rich man's manager who was squandering the rich man's money. The manager found out that he was about to get fired, so he squandered more boldly than ever before: He called in his boss's debtors and reduced the amounts they owed so they would befriend him when he lost his position of influence.

Jesus went on to talk about integrity -- "Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?" Jesus goes on to say: "No slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

My sermon on this scripture is "Serving God with True Wealth" which I am scheduled to preach at King of Peace Episcopal Church in Kingsland at 6:00 p.m. today, and again at 8:30 and 10:00 am. tomorrow. I won't give away the ending. Come and hear.


In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

The Feast of St. Matthew

When Jesus passed by Matthew's tax collection booth and said, "Follow me," Matthew promptly quit his job, got up and followed Jesus. Later that day there was a big party at Matthew's house as he celebrated his new life. This brought on one of the most common complaints about Jesus: "This man welcomes tax collectors and sinners and eats with them."

Matthew's Gospel is preacher's paradise. In it we find a birth narrative and genealogy of Jesus. In it we have the longer version of the Sermon on the Mount, which contains the Beatitudes and the "Lord's Prayer." Matthew gives us wonderful parables about the Kingdom of Heaven - usually beginning with "The Kingdom of Heaven is like. . ." Matthew's lengthy description of the arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus has been set to some amazing classical music.

Matthew's Gospel was not the first Gospel to be written, but it is thorough and satisfying to read. Beginning in December I get to preach out of it almost every Sunday. I get to take a closer look at some of the tax collectors and sinners with whom Jesus ate, including Matthew himself.


In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

Are you connected to the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia?




Schedule

Friday, October 5
4:00 pm Registration/ Check-In
6:00 pm Supper
7:00 pm Ice Breaker
7:30 pm Workshops
9:00 pm Reflection & Compline
9:30 pm Kibitz & Nosh

Saturday, October 6
7:30 am Morning Prayer
8:00 am Breakfast
8:45 pm Reflection
9:00 am Workshops
10:30 am Workshops
Noon Reflection
12:30 pm Lunch
1:30 pm Workshops
3:00 pm Workshops
4:30 pm Bishop’s Hour
5:30 pm Reflection
6:30 pm Low Country Boil
Free Evening
9:00 pm Compline

Sunday, October 7
7:30 am Morning Prayer
8:00 am Breakfast
9:00 am Assembling the Pieces & Connecting the Dots
10:30 am Acolytes/Connections Eucharist - The Rev. Linda McCloud, Preacher
Noon Lunch & Departure

Conference Leaders

Conference Chaplain
The Rt. Rev. Rodney Michel, Assisting Bishop

Centering Prayer
The Rev. Nancy Mills, Spiritual Director

Liturgy, The Work of the People
The Rev. Jim Shumard, Parish Priest
The Very Rev. Wm Willoughby, Dean

Razing and Raising
The Rev. Jeff Jackson, Youth Minister

Retirement With Grace
Ms. Janet Kuhn, Parish Nurse
Bishop Michel

Vibrant Vestries
Ms. Jackie Driggers, Conflict Management


If you need more information or wish to register for this conference, please see http://georgia.anglican.org/connections.html


In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Have you read any good books lately?


Here is advice from Thomas Merton:

Reading ought to be an act of homage to the God of all truth. We open our hearts to words that reflect the reality He has created or the greater Reality which He is. It is also an act of humility and reverence towards others who are the instruments by which God communicated His truth to us.

Reading gives God more glory when we get more out of it, when it is a more deeply vital act not only of our intelligence but of our whole personality, absorbed and refreshed in thought, meditation, prayer, or even in the contemplation of God.

Books can speak to us like God, like men or like the noise of the city we live in. They speak to us like God when they bring us light and peace and fill us with silence. They speak to us like God when we desire never to leave them. They speak to us like men [sic] when we desire to hear them again. They speak to us like the noise of the city when they hold us captive by a weariness that tells us nothing, gives us no peace, and no support, nothing to remember, and yet will not let us escape.

Books that speak like God speak with too much authority to entertain us. Those that speak like good men hold us by their human charm; we grow by finding ourselves in them. They teach us to know ourselves better by recognizing ourselves in another.

Books that speak like the noise of the multitudes reduce us to despair by the sheer weight of their emptiness. They entertain us like the lights of the city streets at night, by hopes they cannot fulfil.

Great though books may be, friends though they may be to us, they are no substitute for persons, they are only means of contact with great persons, with those who had more than their own share of humanity, those who were persons for the whole world and not for themselves alone.

Ideas and words are not the food of the intelligence, but truth. And not an abstact truth that feeds the mind alone. The Truth that a spiritual person seeks is the whole Truth, reality, existence and essence together, something that can be embraced and loved, something that can sustain the homage and the service of our actions: more than a thing: persons, or a Person. Him above all Whose essence is to exist. God.

Christ, the Incarnate Word, is the Book of Life in Whom we read God.

[Thoughts in Solitude, 62-64]



In peace,
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

Fear of God

Here is what Fr. Thomas Keating, spiritual writer and co-founder of Contemplative Outreach, says about fear of God:

The biblical term "fear of God" does not refer to the emotion of fear. Fear of God is a technical term in the Bible meaning the right relationship with God. The right relationshp with God is to trust God. The right relationship with God involves reverence and awe for God's transcendence and immanence as well as trust in God's goodness and compassion.

To envisage what the biblical fear of God actually means, imagine a child at Christmastime in a huge department store. The top floor, the size of a whole city block, is filled with toys. When the child emerges from the elavator into the wonderland of desirable objects, her eyes grow bigger and bigger. She looks to the left and to the right, seeing everything her heart has ever desired: skis, teddy bears, doll houses, toys, sleds, electric trains, computers. She wants to go in every direction at once. She is so enthralled that she does not know where to start. She wants to grasp everything and take it home.

The biblical fear of God is similar. We feel ourselves invited into a mystery that contains everything our hearts could possibly desire. We experience the fascination of the Ultimate Mystery rather than fear of the unknown. We want to grasp or be grasped by the mystery of God's presence that opens endlessly in every direction.

Journey to the Center, page 30.


In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com

Photo: sunrise at Honey Creek 09 16 07

Altar Bread at Our Savior



At the Episcopal Church of Our Savior, our altar bread is lovingly baked and prepared for consecration at the Altar during Holy Communion. We do this because on the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples and said, "Take, eat: This is my Body which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me." When we thus gather for Holy Communion, Christ blesses us with his presence as we all share in the one loaf of bread.

If you are interested in baking altar bread for Our Savior, or if you want this recipe for use in your church, please contact me at Linda@oursaviorhoneycreek.org and I will e-mail the information to you. I borrowed this recipe from The Episcopal Convent of St. Mary, Sewanee, Tennessee. It took me about two hours to bake the bread pictured above.



In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Our Psalm at Morning Prayer

Psalm 24:

The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it,
the world and all who dwell therein.

For it is he who founded it upon the seas
and made it firm upon the rivers of the deep.

"Who can ascend the hill of the Lord?
and who can stand in his holy place?"

"Those who have clean hands and a pure heart,
who have not pledged themselves to falsehood,
nor sworn by what is a fraud.

They shall receive a blessing from the Lord
and a just reward from the God of their salvation."

Such is the generation of those who seek him,
of those who seek your face, O God of Jacob.

Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors;
and the King of glory shall come in.

"Who is this King of glory?"
"The Lord, strong and mighty,
the Lord, mighty in battle."

Lift up your heads, O gates;
lift them high, O everlasting doors;
and the King ofglory shall come in.

"Who is he, this King of glory?"
"The Lord of hosts.
he is the King of glory."

In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333
Photo: Sailboat at dawn
September 12, 2007 - LM+

Our Gospel for Sunday



Luke 15:1-10:

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." So he told them this parable: "Which one of you, having a hundred sheep and losing one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders and rejoices.

And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.' Just so, tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."


When it occurs to us to wonder what would make God happy - God who dwells among the cherubim and seraphim and all the holy angels -- we might think the "R" word -- repentance. Repentance to the early Christians meant a 180 degree turn from their old life to a new life in Christ. This was part of their baptismal ceremony. While there is rejoicing in heaven about our repentance, there might be grumbling on earth that God has welcomed us to his banquet table. Brace yourself for the consequences.

In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333
Photo: barren hillside
west of Jerusalem
August 2004

Holy Cross Day



It was on this date, September 14, 335 A.D., that the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (or Church of the Resurrection) was completed. In this unusual church in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City, you can visit the site of Jesus' crucifixion and also the site of Jesus' resurrection. Both sites are under the roof of this enormous stone church. The oversight of the building was left to Helena, the mother of the Roman Emporer Constantine, who legalized Christianity circa 313 A.D.




When I visited Jerusalem in 2004 I was amazed by the impact this place had on me. It was more than the history of the building, which of course does not stand in its original form. I think it was the knowledge that millions of pilgrims for about 1700 years have venerated this location as the place of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There were Crusaders' crosses carved in the stone pillars and other evidences of days gone by.

So today we remember again the cross of Jesus:

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ was lifted high upon the cross that he might draw the whole world to himself: Mercifully grant that we, who glory in the mystery of our redemption, may have grace to take up our cross and follow him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Are you cut out to be a priest?

In a recent article in The Living Church, The Rev. Peter J. Surrey of the Diocese of Chicago writes:

Recently, there has been considerable speculation as to what type of person would make an excellent priest. Who is best equipped to serve with distinction, the church in troubled times? Given that we are always faced with changing conditions, what is the best human model to seek as a candidate for the priesthood?

To many, including myself, these are among the most important questions facing the Anglican Communion. To some, the best would be an entrepreneurial candidate who can provide more innovative approaches to the future. Others believe the need is for people with a MBA orientation. Such candidates might bring fiscal stability, management and marketing skills to the church. Others, concerned with poverty and injustice, want socially conscious individuals who can speak to the great social ills of our day. These potential clergy would have advanced social and people skills, making them potential agents of social change.

All of these positions have merit and should be examined. Yet to many of us who have been ordained for a long time, there is a hesitation about fully accepting any of them. There are time-tested verities that go with the priestly vocation and of which all people should be aware. These truths are found in the Bible. We must not lose the core of our belief in an effort to create a new and improved priest.

The Epistle to the Ephesians is concerned with the nature of the Church. In Chapter 4, the author reminds us that there is one body and one spirit, just as you were called to one hope of your call. No person who aspires to enter holy orders can be allowed to forget that when he or she was baptized, that person joined a united body. In a real sense the Church, simply because it is an institution for which Christ died and then physically rose, will always be a unity no matter how rent by schism, personal dislike, or heresy. It is bound by the prayers of Jesus in the Gospel according to St. John that they all should be one and that we should all love one another. In the present Episcopal Church there is a great need for peacemakers.

Any person who can bring peace within a family, group or assembly is helping to create a unity. Peacemakers have been given a great blessing, for as the Sermon on the Mount testifies, they shall be called the sons of God. How valuable this gift will be to a future member of the clergy. Often the peacemaker will end up by being disliked by both sides.

Those who believe that peace just arrives are not always realistic, for often a peacemaker, like a baseball umpire, must make unpopular choices. Consequently, a peacemaker must often show discipline and self-control. Central to the peacemaking process must be the love of God.

St. Augustine, in his Confessions, when describing his mother, states that she showed herself such a peacemaker that hearing on both sides most bitter things ... she would never disclose aught of one to the other, but what might lead to their reconcilement. Monica also knew the value of saying nothing when it would help the peacemaking process. How does one deal with the feelings of others? The willingness to hear what others say and then to extract from those words positive expressions which will enhance the peacemaking process and solve emotional disagreements is certainly one way. . . . it is obvious that our future priest should have a firm grasp of group dynamics. . . .

Above all else, in imitation of Christ himself, a priest is a servant of the people.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Photo: Cross in the woods at

St. Margaret of Scotland Episcopal Church

Moultrie, Georgia, Fall, 2006

The Lord is his name

Seek him who made
the Pleiades and Orion,
and turns deep darkness
into the morning,
and darkens the day
into night;
who calls for
the waters of the sea
and pours them out
upon the surface of the earth:
The Lord is his name.
-- Amos 5:8

In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Photos by Linda McCloud+:

Stormy sunrise Mexico Beach, Florida
December, 2005
Sunset reflections on Mexico Beach, Florida
December, 2005

Power and mystery

The power and mystery
of the ocean remind us
of the mystery of all life
and call us to humility
in all our relationships.
Each revelation of the depth
and beauty of others
invites a respectful affirmation
and acceptance of their being.
We need to be attentive enough
to recognize this powerful mystery.

-- James McGinnis

In peace,
Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Photograph by Linda McCloud+
Dawn at Mexico Beach, Florida
Late December, 2005

Contemplation

In Contemplation
the soul withdraws itself
from the seashore,
and entirely loses sight of land,
in order to whelm itself in that
vast sea and impenetrable abyss
of the Divine Essence.

- P. Jose` De Jesus` Maria`

In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Photo by Linda McCloud+
Mexico Beach, Florida sunset--late December 2005

Eagerly I seek you

O God, you are my God; eagerly I seek you;
My soul thirsts for you,
my flesh faints for you,
as in a barren and dry land
where there is no water.

Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place,
that I might behold your power and your glory.

For your loving-kindness is better than life itself;
my lips shall give you praise.

So will I bless you as long as I live
and lift up my hands in your Name.

My soul is content, as with marrow and fatness,
and my mouth praises you with joyful lips,

When I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the night watches.

For you have been my helper,
and under the shadow of your wings I will rejoice.

My soul clings to you;
your right hand holds me fast.

(Psalm 63:1-8 -- our Psalm at Morning Prayer)


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Costly Discipleship


Our Gospel reading for tomorrow is Luke 14:25-33, in which Jesus lays exclusive claims on his disciples. Dietrich Bonhoeffer had much to say about this topic in The Cost of Discipleship. Here are some excerpts:


The call goes forth, and is at once followed by the response of obedience. …. It displays not the slightest interest in the psychological reason for a man’s [sic] religious decisions. And why? For the simple reason that the cause behind the immediate following of call by response is Jesus Christ Himself. 61

Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. It remains an abstract idea, a myth which has a place for the Fatherhood of God, but omits Christ as the living Son. … There is trust in God, but no following of Christ. 64

He wants to follow, but feels obliged to insist on his own terms to the level of human understanding. The disciple places himself at the Master’s disposal, but at the same time retains the right to dictate his own terms. But then discipleship is no longer discipleship, but a program of our own to be arranged to suit ourselves, and to be judged in accordance with the standards of rational ethic. 66

If we would follow Jesus we must take certain definite steps. The first step, which follows the call, cuts the disciple off from his previous existence. … The first step places the disciple in the situation where faith is possible. If he refuses to follow and stays behind, he does not learn how to believe. 66-67

If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:26)

Through the call of God, men become individuals… Every man is called separately, and must follow alone. But men are frightened of solitude, and try to protect themselves from it by merging themselves in the society of their fellow-men and in their material environment. They become suddenly aware of their responsibilities and duties, and are loath to part with them. But all this is only a cloak to protect them from having to make a decision. They are unwilling to stand alone before Jesus and to be compelled to decide with their eyes fixed on Him alone…. It is Christ’s will that he should be thus isolated, and that he should fix his eyes solely upon him. 105


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http:oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

Our Psalm at Morning Prayer--

Psalm 31 -- is full of rich imagery. I offer verses 1 through 5 for your contemplation:

In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;

let me never be put to shame;

deliver me in your righteousness.

Incline your ear to me;
make haste to deliver me.

Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold;
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.

Take me out of the net that they have
secretly set for me,
for you are my tower of strength.

Into your hands I commend my spirit,
for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.

In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

Perceptions and misperceptions of Jesus

When you think of Jesus, what sort of picture comes into your mind? How tall is he? If he is singing with you, does he have a bass voice, or is he a tenor? Here is a word picture of Jesus from Kristen Johnson Ingram which was published in Weavings, Volume XVIII, Number 5, Sept./Oct. 2003, (pages 12-13).

Who is this outsider, this scruffy wild man who insists that he, alone, has the truth about God? . . . His name is Jesus. The Christ. The Son of God. His dangerous philosophy says to turn the other cheek, to pray for our enemies, to forgive seventy times seven, to give to unworthy beggars, to give it all away and follow him. . . . Because the real Jesus is such a terror, we make up a false messiah and welcome him into our lives instead. We make him into Gentle Jesus, Meek and Mild; . . .

Of course, the real Jesus is gentle and kind and a healer, but he's also the one who says that self-righteous believers are broods of snakes. He turns tables over in the Temple . . . We profess to like Jesus, and to call him a great teacher and psychologist. Great psychologist? If we take him seriously, if we welcome him into our lives, we'll find him as abrasive as garnet sandpaper. Perhaps our sense and sensibility have become dulled by our assumed familiarity with his words.

So, how do you view Jesus? What is your perception of him?


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Jesus was praying in a deserted place

Our Gospel reading for tonight is Luke 4:38-44, which tells of Jesus having a very busy day and evening. He had been to the synagogue that morning and had cured someone, then he went home with Simon Peter and Andrew and cured Simon's mother-in-law of a fever. When the townspeople found out about that they crowded around the door and "all those who had any who were sick with various kinds of diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on each of them and cured them."

Jesus needed a break. He needed time to pray. "At daybreak he departed and went into a deserted place. And the crowds were looking for him; and when they reached him, they wanted to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose."

Jesus would not let anyone pour him into their mold. Jesus took time to pray. We look to him for our example of taking time to pray early in the morning before the day crowds in on us.


In peace,

Linda+

The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

What is an "Instructed Eucharist?"

Come to the service at 6:15 tomorrow evening and find out. We will have a regular service of Holy Communion (Holy Eucharist - which means "Thanksgiving") but it will be different in that we will have a narrator telling us what is going on. The narration was written by The Rev. Frank Logue, Founding Pastor of King of Peace Episcopal Church in Kingsland, Georgia. See http://www.kingofpeace.org/ for a tour of that church and its programs.

In the narration we will get a background as to why we have the worship service in the order that it is in. We will get reasons why we read four pieces of scripture in each service, why we pray the "Prayers of the People" and other answers. If you come away with more questions than answers, that's OK. We will have an Instructed Eucharist at 6:15 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month for the remainder of this year.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333

Hymns and Prayers for the occasion

Come, labor on.
Who dares stand idle on the harvest plain,
while all around us waves the golden grain?
And to each servant does the Master say,
"Go work today."

Come, labor on.
The enemy is watching night and day,
to sow the tares, to snatch the seed away;
while we in sleep our duty have forgot,
he slumbered not.

Come, labor on.
Away with gloomy doubts and faithless fear!
No arm so weak but may do service here:
by feeblest agents may our God fulfill
his righteous will.

Come, labor on.
Claim the high calling angels cannot share --
to young and old the Gospel gladness bear:
redeem the time; its hours too swiftly fly.
The night draws nigh.

Come, labor on.
No time for rest, till glows the western sky,
till the long shadows o'er our pathway lie,
and a glad sound comes with the setting sun, --
"Servants, well done."

-- Jane Laurie Borthwick (1812-1897), alt.
The Hymnal 1982, Hymn No. 541

Prayer for the Unemployed:

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

-- The Book of Common Prayer, page 824


Stay safe and have a wonderful Labor Day !


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

She gives Episcopal lessons


Have you signed up for the "Inquirer's Class" at The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek? The class will begin next Sunday, September 9, at 3:00 p.m. in the chapel where we have our Wednesday services. This class will be offered four weeks at a time so that we can have one class each month from September through May. If you miss the September class, you may sign up for the October class, et cetera.

We will focus on Christianity as seen through the lenses of the ancient creeds of the Church -- the Apostles' Creed (the baptismal creed) and the Nicene Creed (which we say every Sunday). Our main point of reference will be Holy Scripture of the Old and New Testaments, which I believe to contain all things necessary for salvation. We will also bring in some Church History to put this all into context.

If you are interested in signing up for the first class, or for any subsequent class, please call the church office at 912-267-0333 and get on the list. This class is open to all persons who:

(1) have never been baptized and wish to be baptized in the name of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit;

(2) have been so baptized but have never been confirmed in another denomination;

(3) have been confirmed in another denomination and wish to be received into the Episcopal Church;

(4) are Episcopalians who wish to reaffirm their faith and receive the blessing of the Bishop; and

(5) all other interested parties.

Maybe you fit into one of those categories. If so, and if you are interested in this class, please call the church office during this coming week.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
http://www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org/
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com/
912-267-0333

Close to the ground


Our Gospel reading for tomorrow is Luke 14:1, 7-11, which ends with the familiar verse, "For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

The root of humility is the Latin humus, meaning ground. If we are humble we are close to the ground. We refuse to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. If we are proud we put ourselves on a pedestal. There is a balance in there somewhere between pride and humility. I believe it is called self-esteem. Jesus does not call us to be doormats, and if we have proper self-esteem, we know who we are and what we are capable of doing. Really, proper self-esteem is humility, in that we don’t exaggerate our capabilities, nor do we put ourselves down.

If you accomplished something, I want to hear about it. If you hit a home run or shot a hole in one, or if you won first prize at the fair with your cake recipe, it isn’t bragging if you did it. In fact, it would be false pride not to own up to your accomplishments. But if we get carried away with our own excellence, we can beware of pride lurking at the door. We even need to watch out for being proud of our humility. Nothing helps our humility like a little humiliation.

Life is unpredictable, so it helps to know who we are and to extend kindness to everyone. One day we might be on the giving side, and another day we might be on the receiving side of the same equation.

I am thinking about my experience in the music business in Nashville, Tennessee some years ago. Someone said that he treated everyone the same because the person sweeping the floors at night might write a hit song and wind up owning the publishing company. Your employee today could be your boss tomorrow. So if we stay close to the ground we might have a better chance of remembering that when the chess game is over, the king and the pawn both go back into the same box.


In peace,

Linda+
The Rev. Linda McCloud
Founding Pastor
The Episcopal Church of Our Savior at Honey Creek
www.oursaviorhoneycreek.org
http://oursaviorhoneycreek.blogspot.com
912-267-0333